tagged w/ Infectious Disease
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In episode 47 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 2011, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with the Editor of ProMED-mail, Lawrence Madoff, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School Boston.
ProMED-mail is the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases, an online network of more than 55,000 members who monitor the four corners of the world for emerging infectious diseases of humans, animals and plants. ProMED was launched in 1994 with 40 people on a listserv and is perhaps one of the earliest examples of social networking. Today the site has established itself as the place to go for breaking news on outbreaks, health alerts and recalls.In episode 47 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the... more
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Relief workers traveling to Haiti should take precautions to avoid potentially serious illness and stress related disorders.Relief workers traveling to Haiti should take precautions to avoid potentially serious... more
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click link to for more info
http://getwititmagazine.com/health/6/
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A bit over 4 years ago the World's Medical communities were abuzz with this News. Crocs are prehistoric animals yet after a vicious fight they don't get infections in their awesome wounds.
Why am I posting it now?! Because it is just one of many "great cures" I have seen come & go over the years that seem to just disappear...
From the article:
"They tear limbs off each other and despite the fact that they live in this environment with all these microbes, they heal up very rapidly and normally, almost always without infection," said Mark Merchant, an American scientist who has been taking crocodile blood samples in the Northern Territory.
Initial studies of the crocodile immune system in 1998 found that several proteins (antibodies) in the reptile's blood killed bacteria that were resistant to penicillin, such as Staphylococcus aureus or golden staph, Australian scientist Adam Britton.
Britton said the crocodile immune system worked differently from the human system by directly attacking bacteria immediately any infection occurred in the body.
"The crocodile has an immune system which attaches to bacteria and tears it apart and it explodes. It's like putting a gun to the head of the bacteria and pulling the trigger," he said."
This great boon to all Mankind lying dormant since 1998?
Would it help against Swine Flu? Who knows?!A bit over 4 years ago the World's Medical communities were abuzz with this News.... more
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Improving global access to infectious disease information
In a single electronic platform, the WHO’s Communicable Disease Global Atlas is bringing together for analysis and comparison standardized data and statistics for infectious diseases at country, regional, and global levels. The analysis and interpretation of data are further supported through information on demography, socioeconomic conditions, and environmental factors. In so doing, the Atlas specifically acknowledges the broad range of determinants that influence patterns of infectious disease transmission. Over the next year, the system aims to provide a single point of access to data, reports and documents on the major diseases of poverty including malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, the diseases on their way towards eradication and elimination (such as guinea worm, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis) and epidemic prone and emerging infections for example meningitis, cholera, yellow fever and anti-infective drug resistance. The database will be updated on an ongoing basis and in addition to epidemiological information, the system aims to provide information on essential support services such as the network of communicable diseases collaborating centres, the activities of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network among others.
If you are a registered user for a specific programme, simply click on the Registered User Login and type in your Login and Password to access the restricted user site.
CLICK FOR FULL LIST OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES [NOT INCLUDING H1N1].....Improving global access to infectious disease information
In a single electronic... more
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Whether you want to keep track of your own symptoms, or whether you want to know how to watch out for others, here are 10 useful iPhone apps that can help you track disease outbreaks.Whether you want to keep track of your own symptoms, or whether you want to know how... more
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The Health Protection Agency (HPA), UK, informed yesterday 3rd July, 2009, in its weekly update that the total number of confirmed human cases of Swine Flu A(H1N1) infection has reached 7,447. British health authorities estimate that the figure will be over 100,000 by the end of this summer.The Health Protection Agency (HPA), UK, informed yesterday 3rd July, 2009, in its... more
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... but, they're going through with it anyway!
Egypt said on Thursday its cull of 250,000 pigs was a general health measure rather than a precaution against swine flu after the UN said there was no evidence the animals were spreading the disease.
"We're at stage five, the matter is now human NOT animal," health ministry spokesman Abdelrahman Shahine told AFP after the World Health Organisation ratcheted up its alarm level over the flu, now detected in 12 countries.
"The authorities took advantage of the situation to resolve the question of disorderly pig rearing in Egypt," he said. No cases of swine flu have been detected in Egypt.
The agriculture ministry's head of infectious diseases Saber Abdel Aziz Galal told AFP that the cull was "a general health measure."
We will build new farms in special areas, like in Europe. Within two years the pigs will return, but we need first to build new farms."
Galal could not say how many pigs were expected to be put to death on Thursday.
Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza said that the mass slaughter would begin in earnest on Saturday.
"It will take three weeks to a month, they'll kill them in specialised slaughterhouses after they've been checked for swine flu," state news agency MENA quoted Abaza as saying.
In defence of the decision to cull the pigs, the minister called on the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to "come and see for itself the conditions at any pig farm in Egypt."
At least one clash was reported north of Cairo on Wednesday after the health ministry announced the immediate slaughter of the nation's pigs, with farmers throwing stones at veterinary services who had come to take their pigs away.
The health ministry said it would now also start collecting health data from 34,000 rubbish collectors, "particularly those working in areas near pig-breeding farms," MENA reported.
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday ruled out pigs as a source of flu transmission.
"We don't see any evidence that anyone is getting infected from pigs," said WHO acting assistant director general Keiji Fukuda. "This appears to be a virus which is moving from person to person."
The world's lead agency in the trade of farm animals added its voice to the WHO, saying the culling of pigs would not stop the spread of the disease.
Culling "will not help to guard against public or animal health risks presented by this novel A/H1N1 influenza virus," the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said.
Instead, the organisation urged members, which include Egypt, to "focus their efforts on appropriate disease surveillance and strengthening the general biosecurity measures applied at premises where pigs are handled and slaughtered."
State media have said that compensation for pig owners could reach 1,000 Egyptian pounds (180 dollars), but Galal said they would initially simply get their animals back as meat.
"We will kill them and give the meat to the owners," he said. "I think the government will talk to the owners and reach a suitable compensation with them."... but, they're going through with it anyway!
Egypt said on Thursday its cull... more
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At least nine kidney patients were infected with hepatitis C while being treated at a Manhattan dialysis center that was closed by state health officials last year, according to the results of an investigation published Thursday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The viruses found in four of the infected patients were close genetic matches to viruses in other clinic patients, the investigators said, indicating that the four were almost certainly infected by contaminated equipment at the clinic, the Life Care Dialysis Center at 221 West 61st Street. The center was ordered closed after investigators found unsanitary operating conditions.
According to the C.D.C. report, which appeared in the centers’ Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, still other patients may also have been infected at the clinic. But the investigation was confined to the 162 who were being treated as of July 2008.
Earlier statements from state health officials had confirmed one viral infection among clinic patients. Hepatitis C often has no easily observable symptoms but can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and cancer.At least nine kidney patients were infected with hepatitis C while being treated at a... more
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Traveling to Latin America, the Caribbean or the Southern part of the United States anytime soon? Beware of dengue fever! A recent outbreak of this potentially deadly disease in Brazil has reinvigorated attention to dengue fever and rightly so says Dr. Lyle Petersen, Director of the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases at the CDC (Center for Disease Control). Dr. Petersen expressed concern at the lack of attention being given to the threat of dengue fever by the media since the spread of the disease has been rapidly growing for the last decade, particularly in the Americas. The media demonstrated far more hysteria over bird flu which is far less prevalent and carries a far less risk of infection to humans here in America than dengue fever.
Dengue fever is transmitted from the vector mosquito to humans and back to the mosquito in a unique vector-host-vector pattern because most mosquito borne diseases have birds as hosts. Humans are the primary host for dengue fever. There are two traditional vectors for the disease: the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and the Aedes Albopicpus mosquito (also known as the Asian Tiger). The Aedes Aegypti, more commonly associated with yellow fever transmission is the most common carrier of the dengue fever virus. This mosquito is a highly effective vector and causes giant outbreaks of dengue like that currently happening in Brazil. Besides Latin America and the Caribbean, they can be found in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Western states include Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. Densities are greatest in the Gulf Coast states. Past efforts to eradicate them in the U.S. have failed.
The other vector mosquito which causes smaller outbreaks, Aedes Albopicpus (Asian Tiger) is not native to the U.S. but was imported starting back in 1985 in shipments of used auto tires containing its eggs. This mosquito breeds faster as the temperatures get higher according to Barry Alto, a University of Florida entomology doctoral student and co-author of a study appearing in the Journal of Medical Entomology. "If global warming trends continue, the Asian tiger mosquito may become common in places it's not found today."
"There are two primary reasons for the rapid spread off dengue fever particularly in the Americas," said Dr. Petersen of the CDC. "The first is globalization; people are traveling more. The second is population increases particularly into more urban areas." Last year there were 900,000 cases of dengue fever in the Americas alone. Currently, there is no vaccine for dengue fever but the CDC is close to developing one according to Dr. Petersen.
Dr. Petersen stressed that the biggest risk is to travelers and suggested recommendations for those who might be traveling to areas where Dengue is known to have caused outbreaks. First he recommends you use insect repellent. Second, stay in a hotel that has air conditioning and screens in the windows. "The mosquito more commonly known to spread Dengue, the aedes aegypti is specially adapted to living indoors and to biting humans," he added, "so screens are really important."
Signs and symptoms of dengue fever: Within three days to a week of being infected, the person may experience any of the following alone or in combination: fever, joint and muscle pain, bone pain, severe headache, skin rash, and fatigue. Thereafter, the person often suffers a prolonged period of fatigue that lasts for weeks. In a small percent of people, there is the potential to develop dengue hemorrhagic fever and shock syndrome which can be fatal if not treated. Whether a person develops this depends upon the strain of dengue they have been infected with by the vector. If you notice any of these symptoms following a trip to a known infected area, please consult your physician or the CDC immediately.
Traveling to Latin America, the Caribbean or the Southern part of the United States... more
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Planning a holiday? Want to avoid contracting some infectious disease that might kill you or at least make you wish you were dead? Well, a new map has been release that highlights the world's breeding grounds for emerging infectious diseases. It uses data collected over 65 years and shows that most of the new diseases come from wildlife. Do not feed the pigeons, bears, alligators, iguanas.Planning a holiday? Want to avoid contracting some infectious disease that might kill... more
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This little web app is a real stunner. Want to know how many people contracted AIDS in the last minute, check out how much the Earth's temp has increased in the last year, or even see how many people have contracted cancer in the last week? This app puts immense statistics on our Planet's greatest problems into a perspective we can begin to understand. Click the link to see it in a size you can read!This little web app is a real stunner. Want to know how many people contracted AIDS in... more
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